Task Force on Governance and Membership Participation Update

The Task Force on Governance and Membership Participation has just concluded their March 8-10 meeting. They spent the meeting addressing constructive criticisms that were received regarding geographic representation, species and other allied group representation, student membership support, and leadership selection and development. The task force is modifying the governance proposal to be responsive to those concerns.

The task force is finalizing our report for submission to the Executive Board for consideration at the June meeting. Details about the final report cannot be released until after the Executive Board has discussed the report.

This is a comprehensive review of all governance entities, not just one. There will be no governance structure or process changes until the report has been received, digested, discussed, commented upon, refined and approved.

Every member will have the opportunity to comment on the governance proposal.

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As a member of a very small group within the profession, I hope that leadership consolidation does not result in those not involved in conventional practice being relegated to functional oblivion within the organization. The current structure, while cumbersome, does preserve the opportunity for those interested in individual species or disciplines to participate.

Change in governance and member participation was one of the top five priorities brought forth by the House of Delegates (HOD) for our updated AVMA Strategic Plan for 2012-2015. The HOD subsequently supported the formation of this task force. I very much appreciate the work the TFGMP has done this past year. I believe evaluation of AVMA governance is extremely important to the future of AVMA, its continued relevance to our members, and its ability to be efficient and productive in its mission. Governance was specifically identified as a significant strategic dimension in the AVMA Vision 2020 Commission Report. Change is difficult, yet we have to remember many members of leadership and decision makers are more than 15 years out of school, and almost half of our members are less than 15 years post-graduation. Those 50% want more participation and opportunities than the current structure allows or we could lose them.
We have the ability with today’s technology to meet the needs of our four distinctly different but equally represented membership groups identified by the 2012 Membership Survey – 23% want career guidance and development help, 27% want leadership roles and engagement in their profession, 24% want opportunities for collaboration, engagement and influence on public and AVMA policy, and 26% want primarily AVMA benefits and news of the profession. See https://www.avma.org/News/JAVMANews/Pages/120815a.aspx.

I admire the tremendous work the TF has done so far on a tremendously complicated issue and many tradition-entrenched principles. Things do change. This very year we are celebrating AVMA’s 150th year history of success which includes many changes during those 150 years. This is the 21st century now with 21st century technology and 21st century societal challenges, both human and animal, where AVMA must continue its national and global role in veterinary medical leadership for us, its members, the animals, and our society. I look forward to the TFGMP’s full report.